The present invention relates to apparatus and method for applying insulation displacing electrical connectors to a ribbon cable.
Electrical connectors having insulation displacing terminals for application to ribbon cable are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,257, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses such a connector, which is sold by AMP Incorporated under its AMP-LATCH trademark. Such connectors are conveniently handled in pre-assembled form, that is, the cover is latched to the connector allowing space to receive the cable so that termination is readily accomplished by pressing the connector and cover together. End terminations are readily achieved by bench apparatus such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,083. Apparatus for applying multiple connectors to a ribbon cable to manufacture a harness is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,130, but it is not automated and cannot handle pre-assembled connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,326 discloses cable harness assembly apparatus for applying connectors having insulation displacing connectors to a ribbon cable. The apparatus is of the type comprising a workstation with a press having a termination ram and a plurality of connector receiving fixtures including a lead fixture which receives the connector to which the cable is first terminated. The fixtures are mounted to a frame at predetermined intervals, pre-assembled connectors are placed in the fixtures, and the cable is threaded through the connectors before advancing the frame through the workstation, stopping the fixtures sequentially thereat to terminate the cable to the connectors.
The prior art apparatus suffers the disadvantage of a long and cumbersome frame which is not readily adapted to automation, and further the requirement of fixtures having integral severing apparatus.